Conveyer-system control



E. N. 'HEsc0CK. CONVEYER SYSTEM CONTROL. 'APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. |920.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

QSL L. Lm;

Myer? for:

.Nmmlw ...-.JVT l UNITED STATES ETHAN N'. HESCOCK, 0F WESTFIELD, NEW' J FOUNDRY 8c MACHINE COMPANY, Il. CORPORATIQBT OFF NEVI JERSEY.

CONVEYER-SYSTEl CONTROL.

Application le. April 5, 1920.

To all whom. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Err-IAN N. Hnscook, a citizen of the United States, residing in l/Vestiield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Conveyor-System Controls, of `which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to over-head con veyer systems having electric motor driven hoisting devices thereon, and has for one object to provide means for supplying electric current to the motor without the use of sliding contacts.

lAnother object of the invention is to provide convenient means for controlling the movement back and forth of the trolley of the conveyor.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein minute details of the invention are described, the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Figure 'l is a side elevation showing the conveyer system and a row of floor machines from which is derived the operating current for the motor, and to and from which the conveyer may carry material or products; and

Fig. 2 shows a planV system.

of the conveyer My improved conveyer system is shown in combination with a row of separated, electrically driven floor machines, 5, each provided with a socket 6 having its contacts electrically connected to the feed conductors which supply current to the motors of the machines. These machines may be of any kind of electrically driven machines, and while not limited to such as could be conveniently used where an overhead conveyer is needed, will usually be of the kind which require a conveyer system for Adelivering to the machines material to Vbe worked upon or carryingtherefrom a resulting product. However,y while the conveyer system is shown in combination with these machines, the invention is not so limited, since a plurality of contact sockets 6, could be spaced along at convenient intervals mounted on suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Serial No. 371,504-,

means other than machines, and fed from current other than the feed conductors above mentioned.

The over-head girders 8 of the conveyer system are each suitably supported above or near said machines 5 and are each formed with upper and lower flanges or tracks 9 and 10, between which are received track wheels il, of a trolley 12 on which are mounted hoisting drums l5 driven bv suitable electric .motors 17 each provided with a flexible conducting cable 18 provided at its free end with a contact plug 19 adapted to be received in the contact socket 6 of` any one of said machines 5 which may be most convenient to the trolley l2 at the time. By this means current is supplied .to the motors, without any current carrying sliding contact which would cause dangerous sparking, or without using inconveniently long cables 18.

Around each drum. is wound .a hoisting cable 20, and each motor is provided with a convenient operating switch controlled by a pair of flexible cont-rolled devices 2l, which may be, for instance, chain, rope, .rod or the like, terminating in a ring or other handle.

Means `*will now be described for driving the trolley l2 back and forth upon the tracks. Mounted upon the Aend supports 25 of the girder 8 is a platform 26 supporting a standard 2.7 braced against the sup ort 25 by 'means of a spacing plate 28.v aid standard has rotatably mounted thereon a cable drum 30 connected by means of suitable reducing` gears 3l and 32 toV the shaft 33 of a cable-drive motorv mounted on said platform 26.

v means 46.

'The operation ofzthe apparatus is very simple, When there is an article to be conveyed one of the operating ineans i6 isV the switch ot the cable-drive inotor is put v. to neutrali position. One neaitie oi" the cables 18 is then inserted in the socket 6 most. conveniently located relative to the position ot the trolley. Then one oit the flexible control devices Q1 is pulled; thus srA plying current to the lioistiem inotor to lower the hoisting cable iin'tiA it is loir enough to be attached to the object to be conveyed.` The opposed trolley device 2l is then pulled, supplying` current to the motor for winding' up the cable and raising; the object, whereupon the sivitcli oi1 the hoisting motor is put to the neutral position by the operation of the trolley devices 2l. rllhen the cable plug; lll is .vithdrairn socket G and attached to a lioolr or th upon the trolley, as shown at the l Fig. l. @ne oit the l'leiible opere i, 416 is then pulled supplying` current to cable motor 35 -for incvfr the trolley the conveyed object to the desired loir i When this desired location is reaelie l the plug 19 is again inserted into the conveniently located socket. 6 and' one o? the trolley devices 2l operated to supply curi nt to the hoisting motor for lowering* the conveyed object at the required location.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination, overhead trolley tracks; a trolley thereon; drive means mounted at one end ol' said tracks id adapted to drive said trolley and prov ded with a switch shaft extending' substantially ilroni end to end oi said tracks parallel thereto; and operating' levers lined at interi/als along said switch shatt and provided with pendant flexible operating means.

2. In combination, a roiv ot sockets: overhead tracks near such sockets; a trolley on said tracks provided with an electric motor and hoisting drinn; control devices pending from each niotor; an electric conducting cable connected to said :motor and provided with a plugr adapted to lit any ci. said sockets; a cable drinn and pulley respectively at opposite ends oi" said tracks; a cable passinor over said cable drinn and pulley' and connected to said trolley; a cable motor for said cable drunij.. and control shaft for said motor and en ending,r alone; said track and provided at intervals ivith pendant operating;i means.

3. In combination, overhead tracks; a trolley on said tracks provided with hoisting means and a motor therefor; nieans tor supplying current to said inotor; a cable druni mounted at the end of said tracks; an idler pulley at the other end of the tracks; a cable connected to said trolley and passed around 'trolling` said said cable druni and pulley; a cable-drive inotoi' geared to said cable drinn and prod with a control switch; a switch slr it o said control switch and eXtei I viral Y to; and operating` levers utervz along` said switch sha t and irovidi-ifl with pendant llcxible operating;`

neans.

t In combination, a row ot electric sockets; overhead tracks near such sockets; a trolley on said tracks provided with an electric motor and hoisting; drinn; control devices pending; troni each nictor; an electric coiidiic cable connected to said n tor and prei ed with a plug' adapted to i one ot sockets; cable drinn i'noiiAL ed at tie eno oi. said tracks; an idler pulley at the other end ot' the tracks; a cable connected to said trolley and passed around said cable drinn and pulley; niotor Yeared to said cable drinn and provided with a control. sivitcli; a sii/itch sliatt said control switch and entend- 'iaily troni end to end of said el thereto; and operating lever. at intervals alone1 said sivitcli shai" and provided With pendant lieirible operating' means,

In combination, an overhead trolley track; a trolley thereon; a stationary motor operatively connected for drivingr the trolley and having; a control switch; and a control shaft for Vsaid sivitch extendingr along); said track for positively operating lthe switch lor openingl and closing.

6. In combination, a horizontal trolley track; trolley thereon; a lined motoroperatively connected for driving the trolley; a control shaft for said inotor extending along; said track, and operating means disposed lat-ter.

l. In combination, a trolley track; Ya trolley supported and guided by said track; a stationary rootor operatively connected for dri in* the trolley; a control shaft for coni niotor extending along said track; and ineens whereby the control shaft niiV be rotated.

In combination; a trolley track; a trolley thereon; a inotor connected for driving said trolley; and a control shaft for con trolling said inotor entendine` along; said along; the shaft'lor operating the track and provided at intervals ivithV pendant operating; means for operating the shalt to control the inoftor.

9. In combination.v a trolley track; a trolley thereon; a cable drinn at one end of said track; a pulley at the opposite ond of the track; a cable passing*P over said drum and pulley and connected to said trolley; a cable motor for said cable drum; and a ccnl.. ol sha'lt for controlling said motor eX- tending along said track and provided at n end to end of said CJi a cable-drive intervals With pendant operating means for operating the shaft to control the motor.

10. In combination, overhead tracks; a trolley on said tracks provided With a hoisting motor and hoisting drum; control des vices pendant therefrom; an electric conducting cable connected therewith provided with a plug at its end; receptacles for said plug distributed at intervals beneath the overhead track; a cable drum and a pulley at opposite ends of said track; a cable passingv over said cable drum and pulley and connected to said trolley; a motor for said cable drum; and a control shaft for controlling said motor extending along said track and provided at intervals with pendant operating means for operating the shaft to control the motor.

ll. in combination, an overhead track; an overhead trolley thereon having a hoisting drum and an electric motor for the drum; and a pendant conductor for supplying current to said motor; having a plug at its end; a plurality of upstanding obstructing floor machines beneath said track, each having a socket adapted to receive said plug when the trolley is nearest thereto and give current thereto, said structures forming a barrier substantially preventing the disconnecting of the conduction by the moving against the conductor of objects upon the ioor that might break or displace the conductor.

12. In combination, an overhead track; an overhead trolley thereon having a hoisting means and an electric motor for the hoisting means; a plurality of sockets spaced from each other and disposed between said track and floor beneath said track; a pendant conductor for supplying current to said motor, having a plug at its end adapted to receive one of said sockets When the trolley is nearest thereto and give current thereto; and upstanding obstructing structures associated with the respective sockets, on said floor therebeneath for forming a barrier substantially preventing the disconnecting of the conductor by the moving against the conductor of objects supported upon the floor that might break or displace the conductor; said conductor being short enough to be held substantially free of slack Which would permit its lower part to dispose itself to one side of the structures near the floor Where it could be contacted by said objects.

ETHAN N. HESCOCK.

Witnesses E. F. SMITH, CLIFFORD VILLIS. 

